Promotion Review Board
If you have received notice of delay of promotion and referral to a Promotion Review Board, it is important that you speak with an experienced military defense lawyer. A Promotion Review Board is convened to consider the promotion status of promotable officers identified or recommended for removal from a promotion list due to misconduct or sub-standard performance.
The board can come at the request of the officer’s command, at the direction of the Secretary of the Army, or HRC’s discovery of adverse documentation that should have been seen by a selection board that recommended the officer for promotion. As such, a Promotion Review Board is a significant and possibly career changing event. The board requires the immediate attention of the affected officer, and will likely consume a considerable amount of your time. It should take precedence over all other military related events.
It is also important to understand that a Promotion Review Board does not mean that you have been removed from the promotion list. An officer remains on the selection list as promotable until a final decision is made by the Secretary of the Army to either promote or remove from the selection list.
When you receive the board notification, you will be given the opportunity to submit a written rebuttal including supporting documentation or evidence to the board. You are not permitted to make a personal appearance before the Promotion Review Board. Your rebuttal should include anything that you deem important to your case. If you need assistance in drafting your rebuttal, Mr. Coombs can be retained to perform this service. He has significant experience in drafting rebuttals that are persuasive to a board.
After you submit your rebuttal, a Promotion Review Board will be convened. The Promotion Review Board is usually conducted with 120 days, but this may vary depending upon board composition and availability. The board will review all documentation and then make a recommendation. The recommendation will be staffed to the Secretary of the Army, who will make the final decision.
Unfortunately the Promotion Review Board process is not a quick one. It usually takes 8 to 12 months from the initial Promotion Review Board notification to the final decision by the Secretary of the Army.